Patron escorted out of Ernie's

Published 6:01 pm, Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Robert Winter, 22, of 15 Stonewall Lane, Darien, was arrested Aug. 10 on a charge of interfering with an officer.

A bartender at Ernie's bar and restaurant, 25 Tokeneke Road, called police at about 1:40 a.m. to report that a patron was refusing to leave, according to the report.

When officers arrived at Ernie's, they found the female complainant visibly upset and crying, police said. The woman told officers that a male with tie-dye shirt, Winter, was repeatedly swearing at her and would not leave the bar, according to police. The complainant said the incident started when Winter ordered two pitchers of beer and became upset when he learned they were put in two separate tabs, police said.

The officers then approached Winter, who they said was visibly intoxicated, and asked him to leave the bar numerous times but Winter kept ignoring their request, according to the report. Police said the officers had to escort him out.

The bartender chose not to press charges for trespassing but said she did not want Winter to return to the bar because of his conduct, according to the report.

Police said no injuries were reported and that Winter paid his bar tab in full.

As officers tried to identify him outside the building, however, he refused to show any identification or state his name and continued to protest until he was taken into custody, police said.

Winter was released on a promise to appear in court Aug. 20 and he's no longer allowed to return to Ernie's.